Difference between revisions of "XA-38"
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'''Ground Attack/Close Air Support''' | '''Ground Attack/Close Air Support''' | ||
− | The XA-38 Grizzly is a great plane for ground pounding. The 75 mm cannon AP-T can reliably destroy pillboxes, medium tanks and light tanks, while the HEI-T can destroy any thinly armoured vehicles. | + | The XA-38 Grizzly is a great plane for ground pounding. The 75 mm cannon AP-T can reliably destroy pillboxes, medium tanks and light tanks, while the HEI-T can destroy any thinly armoured vehicles. The option to carry 4x500lb bombs also gives some extra opportunities for killing targets, although these are wing-mounted bombs, which are not only inaccurate, but also hamper your speed somewhat. In Air RB, these bombs often work best to eliminate AA and armoured cars at the back of tank convoys, clearing any potential anti-aircraft fire before engaging the tanks. |
+ | |||
+ | The Grizzly is a fast aircraft, and this should be used to your advantage. Dive in fast and escape fast and you can effectively dodge AA fire, as well as outrun some enemy fighters at low speed, especially when top tier. Also, the .50 cal gun turrets can be used to strafe ground targets after your first pass, although it's recommended to load the armored target or universal belts to ensure maximum damage. These guns are quite accurate, have a good rate of fire, and can eliminate light tanks and light pillboxes. | ||
+ | |||
+ | The drawbacks to the Grizzly come with its main armament. The 75mm gun, while immensely powerful, has a very slow RoF, meaning you're only likely to get two shots maximum at a target before you pass over it. Also, while it can kill light pillboxes, it might take multiple hits, which can be a waste of ammo since the gun only has 20 shells total. Don't be afraid to use your machine guns in addition to the cannon when targeting pillboxes. These MGs, while effective, are also lacking. There are only two of them, and they carry mid-war belts, meaning they don't pack as much punch as a lot of the 12.7mm MGs on a lot of American fighter-bombers at this same tier. Thankfully, they are nose-mounted, meaning they're very accurate even at long ranges. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Finally, the Grizzly can be an easy target for low-altitude interception, even when top tier. The fuselage is a large target compared to single-engined planes, and only having one, very exposed gunner means you can lose your defensive armament immediately when attacked from above. Use your good speed and decent turn time to avoid shots and spray interceptors with the .50 cal guns to ward them off. Also, avoid head-ons. While the 75mm might be tempting as a one-shot-machine, it's poor RoF and long-range accuracy makes it useless in head-on engagements against the many cannon-armed fighters you face at this tier. Your MGs also won't be much help, since there are only two of them. Keep fighters behind or away from you and use your gunners' excellent firing arcs and ammo counts to ward off opponents. | ||
=== Manual Engine Control === | === Manual Engine Control === |
Revision as of 22:23, 2 February 2021
Contents
Description
The XA-38 Grizzly is a premium rank IV American attacker with a battle rating of 3.3 (AB), 3.7 (RB), and 4.7 (SB). It was introduced in Update 1.71 "New E.R.A.".
General info
Flight performance
Characteristics | Max Speed (km/h at 4,573 m) |
Max altitude (metres) |
Turn time (seconds) |
Rate of climb (metres/second) |
Take-off run (metres) | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AB | RB | AB | RB | AB | RB | |||
Stock | 595 | 574 | 8000 | 29.2 | 30.1 | 8.7 | 8.7 | 700 |
Upgraded | 638 | 616 | 26.9 | 28.0 | 14.6 | 11.4 |
Details
Features | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Combat flaps | Take-off flaps | Landing flaps | Air brakes | Arrestor gear |
✓ | ✓ | ✓ | X | X |
Limits | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Wings (km/h) | Gear (km/h) | Flaps (km/h) | Max Static G | |||
Combat | Take-off | Landing | + | - | ||
714 | 350 | 340 | 340 | 280 | ~7 | ~3 |
Optimal velocities (km/h) | |||
---|---|---|---|
Ailerons | Rudder | Elevators | Radiator |
< 360 | < 270 | < 400 | > 390 |
Compressor (RB/SB) | ||
---|---|---|
Setting 1 | ||
Optimal altitude | 100% Engine power | WEP Engine power |
1,676 m | 2,100 hp | 2,268 hp |
Setting 2 | ||
Optimal altitude | 100% Engine power | WEP Engine power |
4,206 m | 1,880 hp | 2,030 hp |
Survivability and armour
- 9.5 mm steel - in front of the cockpit
- 7 mm steel - sides of the cockpit
- 7 mm steel - below the cockpit
- 12.7 mm steel - pilot's seat
- 38 mm bulletproof glass - in front of the pilot (inside the cockpit)
- 7 mm steel - below the rear gunner
- 9.5 mm steel - aft of rear gunner
- 38 mm bulletproof glass - aft of rear gunner (inside aircraft)
Modifications and economy
Armaments
Offensive armament
The XA-38 is armed with:
- 1 x 75 mm M10 cannon, nose-mounted (20 rpg)
- 2 x 12.7 mm M2 Browning machine guns, chin-mounted (500 rpg = 1,000 total)
Suspended armament
The XA-38 can be outfitted with the following ordnance:
- Without load
- 4 x 100 lb AN-M30A1 bombs (400 lb total)
- 4 x 250 lb AN-M57 bombs (1,000 lb total)
- 4 x 500 lb AN-M64A1 bombs (2,000 lb total)
Defensive armament
The XA-38 is defended by:
- 2 x 12.7 mm M2 Browning machine guns, dorsal turret (500 rpg = 1,000 total)
- 2 x 12.7 mm M2 Browning machine guns, ventral turret (500 rpg = 1,000 total)
Usage in battles
When flying the XA-38 Grizzly, do note it can be used as either an interceptor (bomber hunter) or a ground attack/close air support aircraft. It's best to fire your machine guns or your 75 mm cannon separately as they both aim differently.
Bomber Hunter:
When using the XA-38 Grizzly, it can be used as a bomber hunter. The ammo of choice when dealing with enemy bombers is HEI-T 1 single hit from this shell will destroy any bomber (or plane).
Ground Attack/Close Air Support
The XA-38 Grizzly is a great plane for ground pounding. The 75 mm cannon AP-T can reliably destroy pillboxes, medium tanks and light tanks, while the HEI-T can destroy any thinly armoured vehicles. The option to carry 4x500lb bombs also gives some extra opportunities for killing targets, although these are wing-mounted bombs, which are not only inaccurate, but also hamper your speed somewhat. In Air RB, these bombs often work best to eliminate AA and armoured cars at the back of tank convoys, clearing any potential anti-aircraft fire before engaging the tanks.
The Grizzly is a fast aircraft, and this should be used to your advantage. Dive in fast and escape fast and you can effectively dodge AA fire, as well as outrun some enemy fighters at low speed, especially when top tier. Also, the .50 cal gun turrets can be used to strafe ground targets after your first pass, although it's recommended to load the armored target or universal belts to ensure maximum damage. These guns are quite accurate, have a good rate of fire, and can eliminate light tanks and light pillboxes.
The drawbacks to the Grizzly come with its main armament. The 75mm gun, while immensely powerful, has a very slow RoF, meaning you're only likely to get two shots maximum at a target before you pass over it. Also, while it can kill light pillboxes, it might take multiple hits, which can be a waste of ammo since the gun only has 20 shells total. Don't be afraid to use your machine guns in addition to the cannon when targeting pillboxes. These MGs, while effective, are also lacking. There are only two of them, and they carry mid-war belts, meaning they don't pack as much punch as a lot of the 12.7mm MGs on a lot of American fighter-bombers at this same tier. Thankfully, they are nose-mounted, meaning they're very accurate even at long ranges.
Finally, the Grizzly can be an easy target for low-altitude interception, even when top tier. The fuselage is a large target compared to single-engined planes, and only having one, very exposed gunner means you can lose your defensive armament immediately when attacked from above. Use your good speed and decent turn time to avoid shots and spray interceptors with the .50 cal guns to ward them off. Also, avoid head-ons. While the 75mm might be tempting as a one-shot-machine, it's poor RoF and long-range accuracy makes it useless in head-on engagements against the many cannon-armed fighters you face at this tier. Your MGs also won't be much help, since there are only two of them. Keep fighters behind or away from you and use your gunners' excellent firing arcs and ammo counts to ward off opponents.
Manual Engine Control
MEC elements | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mixer | Pitch | Radiator | Supercharger | Turbocharger | ||
Oil | Water | Type | ||||
Controllable | Controllable Not auto controlled |
Controllable Auto control available |
Controllable Auto control available |
Separate | Controllable 2 gears |
Not controllable |
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Offensive armament:
- Incredible destructive capabilities of the 75 mm HEI-T shells, will decimate any aerial targets upon contact
- Fantastic anti-armour capabilities with the AP-T shells. The AP-T shells carry characteristics of APHE shells, minimizing the number of hits on a selected target to destroy them
- 75 mm M10 cannon has great accuracy at close ranges
- Can use the two forward-firing .50 calibre machine guns vs. fighter aircraft and light targets
- Cannon can penetrate destroyers and the lightly armoured sections of cruisers
- Survivability:
- Protected from every angle of attack by two .50 calibre machine gun turrets
- Reasonably fast for an attack aircraft
- Reasonably manoeuvrable
- Can tank quite a bit of damage
- Utility:
- Can work as a heavy fighter in a pinch
- Is, in essence, a more manoeuvrable and faster PBJ-1H
Cons:
- Offensive armament:
- 75 mm M10 cannon has a low muzzle velocity
- 75 mm M10 cannon lacks accuracy for long-range shooting
- Massive shell drop-off
- Limited cannon ammunition (20 rounds)
- Only two .50 calibre machine guns
- Survivability:
- Will red-line and compress at ~690-700 kph (~429-435 mph)
- A single crew member operates the two defensive turrets (will lose all defensive capabilities if the turret operator is knocked out)
- Will lose a lot of speed in turns
- Offensive abilities:
- Terrible manoeuvrability at low speeds
- Bad climb rate
- Cannot turn without bleeding too much speed
History
In December of 1942, the USAAF gave Beech Aircraft Corporation a contract to construct 2 prototypes of their Model 28 Destroyer. The Model 28 started off as a bomber design, but was changed to a ground attack aircraft, in order to replace the A-20 Havoc in service. The design included a 75 mm cannon in order to ensure the plane could destroy armored bunkers and tanks. 20 rounds were carried for the 75 mm cannon. There were also two .50 in Browning machine guns in the nose. There was a ventral and dorsal turret for self defense, with two .50 in Browning machine guns in each. The aircraft carried a crew of two, the pilot and the gunner. The gunner controlled both defensive turrets by remote control, using periscopes to aim. The Model 28, redesignated as the XA-38 Grizzly, started testing in 1944. It was proven to be reliable, and flew well in all regards for an attack aircraft. In addition, the armament was especially powerful and potent. However, the aircraft was never ordered, and never entered service.
Media
Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.
See also
Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:
- reference to the series of the aircraft;
- links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.
External links
Beechcraft Aircraft Corporation | |
---|---|
Attacker | XA-38 |
USA strike aircraft | |
---|---|
Douglas | A-20G-25 · A-26B-10 · A-26B-50 · A2D-1 · AD-2 · AD-4 · A-1H |
North American | A-36 · PBJ-1H · PBJ-1J |
Other | AM-1 · AU-1 · XA-38 |
USA premium aircraft | |
---|---|
Fighters | Thach's F2A-1 · Galer's F3F-2 · F2G-1 · F4U-4B VMF-214 · P-26A-34 · Rasmussen's P-36A · P-40C · P-43A-1 |
P-47M-1-RE · ⋠P-47M-1-RE · P-51A · P-51D-10 · P-51D-20-NA · ␠Kingcobra · XP-55 | |
▃A6M2 · ▃Ki-43-II · ▃Ki-61-Ib · ▃Bf 109 F-4 · ▃Fw 190 A-8 · ▃Spitfire LF Mk IXc | |
Twin-engine fighters | XP-38G · Bong's P-38J-15 · P-38K · YP-38 · P-61A-11 · XF5F · XP-50 · F7F-3 |
Jet fighters | P-59A · F-86F-35 · F-89B · F-89D · F-4S Phantom II · F-5C · F-20A |
Strike aircraft | A-1H · A2D-1 · AU-1 · XA-38 · AV-8A · AV-8B (NA) · A-6E TRAM · A-10A |
Bombers | A-26C-45DT · B-10B · BTD-1 · PBM-3 "Mariner" · PBM-5A "Mariner" · PV-2D |